Catskill Craftsmen21 Inch End Grain Chopping Block

Great value for an End Grain Chopping Block.I was prepared to spend a few hundred dollars on a End Grain Chopping Block, but thought I'd search through Amazon as I had a small credit and some Amazon CC rewards to use.I was little skeptical of this board at first, given the price and some of the negative reviews, but I found that Amazon Warehouse was offering a "used - very good condition" option, which made my out of pocket cost almost nothing (after my credit and rewards), so it was a no brainier. I often order from Amazon Warehouse, and have never been disappointed, plus they offer the same return policy as regular Amazon products, so if I didn't like it, or felt it was misrepresented, I'd simply send it back.Needless to say, I was very pleased with the board I received. It's very nice looking, sits nice and flat on both sides, and had no signs of use. It did have two very small chips at the edges, but I had to really look (and feel with my hands), to find them. These chips would not be an issue for me, even if the board was "new" as it's a natural wood board, and minor imperfections like this just add character (IMO).My seasoning regiment is as follows:For the first few days, I applied several heavy coats of mineral oil to all six sides periodically, then a lighter coat daily for one week, weekly for one month, then monthly for one year, then periodically there after (as needed). I also made a cutting board paste using mineral oil and bees wax (4:1 ratio) that I will apply periodically as well.Tip: You can pickup mineral oil at the Walmart Pharmacy for less than $2 per 16 oz bottle.So... why only 4 stars...Well, it's not perfect, and you do sacrifice some for the low price.First, the finish is a little rough to the touch, not terrible, but it could definitively benefit from a little more sanding. This can easily be addressed in a short time with some fine grain sand paper. I choose to leave it as is, but will probably address it in the future if and when I need to recondition the board as it wares from use (cutting marks).Second, it's assembled using very small pieces of wood, which means allot of glue joints. This looks nice, but the glue joints are common points of failure in these boards. If it was done right, this shouldn't be a issue, but based on the effort put into finishing the board (sanding) I'm skeptical, and would have preferred a board with larger pieces of wood and less glue.Lastly, they don't tell you what type of wood they use. I read somewhere that it's birch and maple, but the manufacture only specifies "hardwood". This probably doesn't matter much, but it'd be nice to know, as I'm sure there are some species of wood that are not suited for use as a chopping block.All things considered, I think this board is an great value, and would highly recommend it at the current price ($80 for 19" X 14").

The Catskill Craftsman End Grain Chopping Block is of high quality and works well. This is the second one I have ordered and have not had any problem with cracking or splitting with either one (have been using the first one for nearly nine years). I initially used about 16 ounces of mineral oil on each of the chopping blocks to get them saturated and add additional mineral oil or cutting board oil about once a month to keep it moist and the wood cells totally saturated. Like any wood, they will warp if the moisture level is not equal on both sides. If they start to wobble (more moisture on the bottom side), that is an indication it is past time to re-oil the cutting block.

This cutting board is large, HEAVY and attractive. But I bought it because I thought it was a maple end grain cutting board. When it arrived, the packaging says "hardwood" with no indication of what species the wood is. Wood species is important to me and it turns out this is a combination of maple and other hardwoods. I have been wanting to invest in an heirloom-quality end grain cutting board for a while and have done a fair amount of research on what to look for and what to avoid. This is not the board I have been looking for and I should have known by the value pricing. I returned it and purchased one directly from a US company that clearly identifies the wood species and type of glue used, even though it was much more expensive. Also, I was very disappointed to find out that returns are not free. I should have paid closer attention to the details before ordering.

Finally getting around to the review. Why did it take so long? Cuz I did everything the right way. First, I seasoned the board for a month, with food grade mineral oil 2 - 3 times a day for a few days, then 1 - 2 a day for another 2 - 3 weeks, until the entire 16 oz bottle was gone. Then I got a few bars of organic beeswax on here, and made a finishing wax. Started using the board lightly. After a bit of chopping, I noticed the work area was a bit rough. Guess what? THAT IS NORMAL for end grain - common sense, just looking at it. A few shallow cuts in the board, it heals itself. Cuz you're not cutting across the grain, only bending or pushing grains aside. So I give it a small coat of oil again. You simply apply a bit more where you see the board is drinking it up.That silky smooth feeling of when you first got it and oiled is probably not gonna happen again for awhile. Accept it, and learn how to keep the board happy, and it will keep you happy for a long, long time. Just care for it early, and it'll respond better later. Don't leave standing water on it. A little oil & then wax mixture every few weeks or after heavy use. I treated it as a new member of the family, and so far rewarding. It's a joy chopping on, my Henkel knives really appreciate it. And the board is gorgeous, kinda proud when guests notice it.Oh, can't submit this without expressing how friendly, helpful, and accessible the folks are at Catskill Craftsmen. Called them at least twice before this purchase. ***EDIT: The first 2 pics are the side I haven't even used yet. The last 2 pics are the side I've used for 2 months, still gorgeous and in perfect condition. A smidgeon rougher than the 'smooth as silk' side, but it;s not even visible to the naked eye, and as I said, it is normal. Last pic is my mix of Beeswax & mineral oil. It's roughly a 3 to 1 or 4 to 1 mix (more oil than wax). Heat it in a pan, pour in a glass jar.